Chapter 5

Fate. What brought us together? I don't know. Maybe it was just chance, luck. All I know was that he seemed to brighten my world. Did I brighten his too? My mind was engulfed with thoughts of him. I was dazed, amazed that someone as beautiful as him would like me too. Wait. Did he like me, too? Did I make the right choice? Should I have not agreed? Maybe he is just playing with me. Just using me. That made more sense. I don't really care though. I hope he will keep lighting up my world. I don't mind being a distraction for entertainment, if it is him. Just for him. My mind doesn't want to register it. I guess it truly reveals who I am and what I'm made of. Insanity.
We never met again after that. Our schedules never seem to match. We texted each other over little things, afraid to prod for more. My meeting with Mr. Erik was due and I had finally arrived in front of Soul Record Labels. My guitar cradled in my arms, Diatonix playing in my ears. I approached the building. Right foot. Left foot. Right. One after the other, I hesitantly walked, until I was through the doors and at the front desk.
The lady behind the desk looked up, smacking her bubblegum between her lips. She looked me up and down before directing me towards a corridor of to the left. No questions asked, no answers needed. Following her direction, I scrambled across the floor as a group of workers swirled around the floor as if dancers gliding back and forth. Looking everywhere except for in front of me, I bang right into a body. My guitar drops to the ground as I land on my butt. Looking up, I notice him. Xavier. What was he doing here? A shadow loomed over us, Mr. Erik in our presence. I stood up, brushing off my jeans and scrambled for my guitar. Mr. Erik had a gleeful look in his eyes as he quickly introduced Xavier and I to each other. Neither one of us saying a word.
Mr. Erik quickly ushered us over to a door and opened it, revealing a recording studio decked with all the latest gadgets. He motioned me into the the booth and ordered me to sing anything. Xavier stood uncomfortably in the corner. I was still confused as to why he was here. I calmed my nerves and pulled out my guitar. A few strums to check that it was in pitch. That was all it took to calm me down. My mind clean as lyrics just rushed in, line after line, time just passed and soon it was over. Mr. Erik was on his feet, roaring in glee. My eyes glanced over to Xavier. He was looking at the floor. His hand tapping a beat against the wall, he definitely seemed to be humming. His mind not in the room.
Suddenly, Mr. Erik paused. He reached into my guitar bag and pulled out my notebook. In it contained songs and drawings I had created throughout the years. My eyes widened and I rushed to grab it from him. His eyes glanced the pages before stopping at one. He pushed it towards me with a page opened. He nudged me back into the recording room, directing me to try the song. He motioned for the recording man to get ready, before commanding me to start. Xavier had taken a seat on the couch seeming uninterested in whatever was going on. I took a breath and sang.
The song was one I wrote quite recently, about the troubles my family has been facing. No money. My sickness. Fear and despair. I poured all my emotions into it. The pain flowing through. When it was over, everything was quiet. Suddenly, Mr. Erik started clapping. So did the recording guy. Only Xavier stayed quiet. When I stepped out, Mr. Erik pushed me over to the couch and told me to take a break. He chattered away with the recording guy, giving orders that I didn't understand. I plopped down on the far side of the couch, away from Xavier, plopping my earphone into one ear. The atmosphere surrounding him, kept me away. As Mr. Erik and the recording guy babbled on, Xavier pulled out of his zoned out state. So, you sing? Then, he told me, one thing that I never knew. The one thing he hated the most. Girls that sing. Girls who live on music. We didn't speak afterwards.
As we left the studio, Xavier offered to walk me home. I didn't refuse. I didn't say anything. As we left the studio, we bumped into a beautiful girl. Lucia Calleron. She paused to look me up and down, then gave me a passing nod. Noticing Xavier, she paused. Their eyes met and the tension increased. You could feel their past flowing through. Their silent conversation flowing through their eyes. She dropped her gaze and briskly walked past. I think why I know why Xavier hates girls who sings. Girls who live on music. I pulled out my earphones and turned off the music.